1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly, it relates to a portable terminal having a display portion-side housing slidingly movable with respect to an operating portion-side housing.
2. Description of the Background Art
A portable terminal having a display portion-side housing slidingly movable with respect to an operating portion-side housing is known in general, as disclosed in each of Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2009-3614, 2008-283272 and 2008-33595, for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2009-3614 discloses an electronic apparatus (portable terminal) including a lid body having a display portion, a base body having an operating portion and a platelike sliding member arranged to be held between the lid body and the base body. This electronic apparatus is so formed that the user uses the same as a portable telephone by vertically slidingly moving the lid body with respect to the base body through the sliding member from a state where the lid body and the base body are completely superposed with each other and uses the same as a PC terminal by horizontally slidingly moving the lid body with respect to the base body through the sliding member. The sliding member is provided with thin platelike edge portions on four sides extending along the vertical and horizontal directions respectively, so that the edge portions are slidingly moved with respect to the guide portion in a state directly fitted into groovelike guide portions mounted on the lid body and the base body respectively. Thus, the lid body is slidingly moved with respect to the base body in the vertical and horizontal directions respectively.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-283272 discloses an electronic apparatus (portable terminal) including a first member having a display portion, a second member having an operating portion and a base body (sliding plate) of a metal arranged to be held between the first and second members. This electronic apparatus is so formed that the user can vary the mode (appearance) thereof by slidingly moving the first member with respect to the second member in a first direction (vertical direction) or a second direction (horizontal direction) through the base body from a state where the first member is completely superposed on the second member. Thus, the electronic apparatus is so formed that the user can use the same as a portable telephone or an information input terminal. A pair of thin platelike edge portions extending in the longitudinal direction (first direction) are formed on side end portions of the base body, to be directly fitted into a first sliding body having groovelike guide rail portions mounted on the second member and slidingly moved with respect to the guide rail portions. Further, a pair of guide rail portions extending in the short-side direction (second direction) are formed on the upper surface of the base body by uprighting a sheet metal member, so that thin platelike edge portions of a second sliding body mounted on the first member are directly fitted into the guide rail portions of the base body and slidingly moved with respect to the guide rail portions.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-33595 discloses a portable terminal including a first housing having a display portion and a second housing having an operating key (operating portion). This portable terminal is so formed that the user can vary the mode (appearance) thereof by vertically or horizontally slidingly moving the first housing with respect to the second housing from a state where the first housing is completely superposed on the second housing. Thus, the portable terminal is so formed that the user can use the same as a camera or an information input terminal (PDA). The portable terminal is so formed that a columnar protrusion provided on the back surface of the first housing directly engages with an L-shaped guide groove formed on the surface of the second housing superposed on the first housing and moves in the guide groove, thereby slidingly moving the first housing with respect to the second housing.
In the electronic apparatus described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2009-3614, however, the thin platelike edge portions of the base body are directly fitted into the groovelike guide portions mounted on the lid body and the base body respectively, and hence jolting is conceivably easily caused between the edge portions and the guide portions due to the small thickness of the edge portions. Therefore, the electronic apparatus disadvantageously easily jolts when the user slidingly moves the lid body with respect to the operating portion.
Also in the electronic apparatus described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-283272, the thin platelike edge portions of the base body are directly fitted into the groovelike guide rail portions mounted on the second member while the thin platelike edge portions of the second sliding body mounted on the first member are directly fitted into the guide rail portions of the base body. Thus, jolting is conceivably easily caused between the edge portions and the guide rail portions due to the small thickness of the edge portions of the base body and the second sliding body. Therefore, the electronic apparatus disadvantageously easily jolts when the user slidingly moves the first member with respect to the second member.
In the portable terminal described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-33595, the columnar protrusion of the first housing moves in the guide groove of the second housing in the state directly engaging with the guide groove, and hence jolting is conceivably easily caused between the protrusion and the guide groove. Therefore, the portable terminal disadvantageously jolts when the user slidingly moves the first housing with respect to the second housing.